Where Did They All Go?

One of the surest ways for a Lodge to deteriorate is for the members to lose interest and grow slack in their attendance. Why is attendance so necessary?

To begin with a candidate has only one way to evaluate the Lodge on his initial appearance. Does he find the men present who signed his petition, or did their interest fade when they presented his petition to the secretary, considering that the putting on the degree and teaching the candidate was someone else's problem? Does the candidate feel lost and among strangers when he first comes to the Lodge? Is he accompanied by the brethren who recommended him, or else do they meet him at the Lodge? When he received the first degree, does he see familiar faces and hear the voices of his friends, or is he completely among strangers? Where are the men who assured him that Masonry is one of the finest organizations he could be elected to, and where men are brothers?

We must remember that the Masonic Hall is our Masonic Home and we as members are the hosts for the visitors and should greet the warmly. Even those of us who can’t teach can at least greet and welcome new brothers to be, sit with them at the meal, include them in the conversations and make them feel wanted. When the degree begins and the candidate is cast among a bunch of strangers and confronted with an imagination that is running wild and being led into the unknown for what seems hours, hearing friendly voices or seeing friendly faces can make a lot of difference. The act of becoming a Brother should begin after a candidate's petition is voted on and not after he is raised. After all, we want every new E.A. to eagerly come back for the next two degrees.